Military Officers create the Forest Deparment of India

Notable Forest Conservator of South India
General Douglas Hamilton (8 April 1818 – 20 January 1892) was a British Indian Army officer, gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry from 1837 to 1871. He was a well known surveyor of the early British hill stations in South India and a famous sportsman, shikari, big-game hunter and trophy collector. He was an acute observer of nature and a gentleman.
Military career
In 1834 Douglas Hamilton went to the East India Company's Addiscombe Military Academy, and received his commission in the East India Company's Army in 1837, being gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry. He embarked at Portsmouth in the "Duke of Argyle" on September 1 of the same year, arriving in the Madras Roads on December 14. His regiment was sent to Kulladghee in the Bombay Presidency to replace one which had gone to the front in the first Afghan Campaign. In 1846, he went with his regiment to Singapore, and was fortunate to obtain three months' leave in 1848 to visit the Island of Java for hunting. In 1849, he visited England on furlough and returned to India in 1852.
Douglas was very interested in forest conservation in South India, and often visited his old friend General James Michael who was organizing an experimental forest conservancy in the Annaimalai Hills. He was appointed to temporarily manage the conservancy when Michael returned to England on sick leave in 1854. He showed great aptitude for these new forestry duties. In 1857 Michael was again ill and had to relinquish the work altogether. Douglas succeeded permanently to the appointment and for the three years was in charge of the Annaimalai forests, supplying teak lumber for shipbuilding at the Bombay Dockyard. During this period he also became Assistant Conservator of Forests under Dr. Hugh Francis Cleghorn who established the Madras Forest Department and whose work led to the establishment of the Forest Department of India. In 1860 he went with his regiment to Hong Kong and returned to Madras in February, 1861.
Promotion Profile from the Quarterly Indian Army List 1891
1. Ensign 01 Jan 1934
2. Lt 12 Jun 1837- (arrived in Madras)
3. Capt 31 Jan 1838
4. Major 02 Mar 1847
5. Lt Col 29 Jun 1853
6. Col 01 Jan 1862
7. Maj Gen 01 Jan 1867
8. Lt Gen 01 Oct 1877
Gen 01 Dec 1888
clcik here to read more

Comment: One wonders what the salary and pay scales of sepoys and Officers were during the British era? Conservation and preservation of natural resources must be foremost in the mind of Military personnel.

Green Governance: Indian Army joins hands with ICICI

Indian Army-ICICI Bank
The Indian Army has joined hands with ‘The Green Governance Programme’ of ICICI Bank to implement projects like rainwater harvesting, ground water rejuvenation, construction of check dams and water treatment/de-siltation of water bodies, New & Renewable Energy Initiatives etc. The Indian Army Environment and Ecology Cell functioning under the Quarter Master General’s Branch at the Army Headquarters in New Delhi, is the nodal implementing agency for the various projects under this programme. The project is expected to enhance the biodiversity conservation potential of the Indian Army’s various establishments, such as cantonments, depots, maneuver areas and military farms. The project also involves spreading awareness on ecology and biodiversity related concepts among school children.
To increase awareness of the project, General VK Singh, Chief of The Army Staff released two Coffee Table Books named ‘A Saga in Stone’ and ‘Friends of the Earth’ on 22 September 2011. The two books present a facet of the Indian Army largely unknown to most and emphasize the commitment of Indian Army towards preservation of our heritage and culture and its resolve to arrest and conserve environmental degradation. S Om Singh/Dhup Singh/Ganesh
(Release ID :76160)
Indian Army-ICICI Bank
Comment: Can Veterans contribute to Green Governance? All ESM organisations need to incorporate/ aid green governance and technologies in their aims and goals.

Useful Information

Kindly share this valuable information
1. If you see children Begging anywhere in INDIA , please contact:
"RED SOCIETY" at 9940217816. They will help the children for their studies.
2. Where you can search for any BLOOD GROUP, you will get thousand's of donor address. www.friendstosupport.org
3. Engineering Students can register in www.campuscouncil.com to attend Off Campus Interview for 40 Companies.
4. Free Education and Free hostel for Handicapped/Physically Challenged children. Contact:- 9842062501 & 9894067506.
5. If anyone meets with a fire accident or people born with problems in their ear, nose and mouth can get free PLASTIC SURGERY done by Kodaikanal PASAM Hospital. From 23rd March to 4th April by German Doctors. Everything is free. Contact : 045420-240668,245732. "Helping Hands are Better than Praying Lips"
6. If you find any important documents like Driving license, Ration card, Passport, Bank Pass Book, etc., missed by someone, simply put them into any near by Post Boxes. They will automatically reach the owner and Fine will be collected from them.
7. By the next 10 months, our earth will become 4 degrees hotter than what it is now. Our Himalayan glaciers are melting at rapid rate. So let all of us lend our hands to fight GLOBAL WARMING.
-Plant more Trees.
-Don't waste Water & Electricity.
-Don't use or burn Plastics
8. It costs 38 Trillion dollars to create OXYGEN for 6 months for all Human beings on earth. "TREES DO IT FOR FREE- Respect them and Save them"
9. Special phone number for Eye bank and Eye donation: 04428281919 and 04428271616 (Sankara Nethralaya Eye Bank). For More information about how to donate eyes plz visit these sites. http://ruraleye.org/
10. Heart Surgery free of cost for children (0-10 yr) Sri Valli Baba Institute Banglore. Contact : 9916737471
11. Medicine for Blood Cancer! 'Imitinef Mercilet' is a medicine which cures blood cancer. Its available free of cost at "Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai". Create Awareness. It might help someone.
Cancer Institute in Adyar, Chennai
Address: East Canal Bank Road , Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai -600020
Phone: 044-24910754 044-24910754, 044-24911526 044-24911526, 044-22350241, 044-22350241
12. Please CHECK WASTAGE OF FOOD
If you have a function/ party at your home in India and food gets wasted, don't hesitate to call 1098 (only in India)- This is the number of Child helpline.
They will come and collect the food.
AND LETS TRY TO HELP INDIA BE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN
Please Save Our Mother Nature for "OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS"
... Forwarded by Lt Gen Yati Panwar (Retd)

Comment: Internet forwarded message. Contents not verified. Information seems very useful.

Fauji Bicycle- words of wisdom

Fauji Bicycle- words of wisdom
You may have heard the story of the young officer 50 yrs ago, when he got a cycle loan and purchased one from the unit canteen.
The cycle was a beauty (the way mobikes/cars are today) but did not have a carrier at the back.
So he sent his orderly to get one fixed.
When the cycle came back with the carrier fitted, the Y.O. noted that the stand was missing.
He went to the CSD authorised cycle dealer and asked him why the stand had been removed.
He was told, "Sahibji, Fauj me ek hi cheeze mil sakti hai- Career ya Stand.
Agar stand loge to Career khatam or agar career banana hai to stand kabhi mat lena."

सैन्य साइकिल
आप 50 साल पहले युवा अधिकारी की कहानी सुना हो सकता है, जब वह एक चक्र ऋण मिल गया और एक इकाई कैंटीन से खरीदा है.
चक्र एक सौंदर्य (वैसे मोटर बाइक और कारें हैं आज) था लेकिन पीठ पर एक वाहक नहीं है.
तो वह अपने अर्दली भेजा करने के लिए एक तय हो.
जब चक्र सज्जित वाहक के साथ वापस आया, युवा अधिकारी ने कहा कि खड़े याद कर रही थी.
वह सीएसडी अधिकृत चक्र डीलर के पास गया और उससे पूछा कि क्यों खड़े हटा दिया गया था.
उन्होंने कहा, सर था, "में सेना एक बात शानदार सफलता कैरियर है या खड़े रहो.
अगर आपको एक स्टैंड से अपने कैरियर समाप्त हो गया है, लेकिन आप अपने कैरियर से कभी कभी अपनी साइकिल के लिए एक स्टैंड ठीक करना चाहते हैं चाहिए के लिए चुनते हैं.

Gandhian Engineering is not just for the poor

CJ: Sheila Panickar Wed, Oct 14, 2009 10:06:15 IST

WHAT BRANCH of engineering would be the most crucial for the 21st century? Electrical Engineering? Aeronautical Engineering? Computer Engineering? Electronics Engineering? No. None of these. It will be ‘Gandhian engineering’. Dr RA Mashelkar, Chairman, National Innovation Foundation and President of Global Research Alliance in his lecture highlighted the emergence of Innovation and focus on Gandhian Engineering to a large gathering of NIT-W Alumni and students at the Golden Jubilee and Foundation Day of NIT-W Alumni meet at the campus.

Dr Mashelkar started the address at 11:45 am exactly at the same time and day 50 years ago Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone for the Institute. Dr. Mashelkar, Chairman of National Innovation said it gave him immense pleasure to be part of the NIT-W Golden Jubilee Celebration as it was a Mashelkar Committee in 1998/99 that had reviewed RECs and recommended that they be converted to National Institute of Technology (NIT).
Read the article: Gandhian Engineering's crucial role in 21st century
Read 37 pages of the innovative concept: Gandhian Engineering is not just for the poor

Cyber Security: Anthony to Armed Forces

Defence Minister A.K. Antony interacts with the media after attending the Unified Commanders Conference in New Delhi on Friday. New Delhi, April 16, 2010 Prepare to counter cyber attacks: Antony to Armed Forces PTI

In the wake of reports of hackers stealing vital data from Indian defence and diplomatic computer networks, Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Friday asked the Armed Forces to coordinate closely with other cyber security agencies to prepare a crisis management action plan against cyber terrorism.

The minister noted that cyberspace had emerged as an important medium for information sharing, but at the same time the existing technology was susceptible to misuse by anti-social and anti-national elements.

“Of late, extraordinary and unprecedented cyber crimes have taken place across the globe, exposing gap holes in cyber security systems,” Mr. Antony told the Armed Forces Unified Commanders’ Conference here.

“Although Defence Services at all levels have taken steps to counter cyber threat through stringent implementation of cyber security policy, there is still a requirement to ensure that all loopholes are suitably plugged. A few recent cases are reminders of our own vulnerabilities,” he said.

Close interaction with national agencies like Computer and Emergency Response Team (CERT), NTRO, Home and IT Ministries to prepare a crisis management action plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber terrorism is essential, he said inaugurating the conference.

Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju, Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman and IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, Army Chief General V.K. Singh, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and Chief of Integrated Staff Committee Air Marshal S.C. Mukul were also present on the occasion.

Expressing happiness over the progress made to improve ties among armed forces in various spheres, Mr. Antony said increasing involvement of Integrated Defence Service headquarters in defence issues, the functioning of Andaman and Nicobar Command and the progress of Strategic Forces Command were a few examples of the success of the inter-operability concept.

He said the future of optimal military power lay in joint operations.

“Towards this end, the first-ever Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan for 2012-27 is nearing completion under the aegis of IDS headquarters,” he said.

Referring to the use of large-scale energy resources in the armed forces and availability of alternative sources of energy, Mr. Antony called upon the top brass to bring about strict energy conservation discipline.

Regarding the armed forces modernisation, Mr. Antony assured the commanders that there would never be a paucity of funds.

However, he asked them to control the revenue expenditure by adopting various mechanisms such as increased use of technology, integration of the three Services, adopting joint training and procedures, and uniform inventories.

The Defence Minister said there also exists considerable scope for improving the quality and efficacy of defence expenditure through increased private sector engagement, import substitution and indigenisation, improvement in procedures and practices and better project management within the parameters of the government’s policies.
Unified Commanders Conference in New Delhi on Friday: The Hindu

The largest military solar power center in Nevada

The US Federal Government has built the largest solar power center yet in the Air Force base in Nevada. The Nellis Air Force houses 140 acres of solar panels. The Nevada solar power plant beats out Serpa Power Plant in Portugal, which previously held the record as the largest solar farm in the world. Portugal's power plant can generate 11 megawatt of power a day while Nevada boasts of 14.2MW.

However, Nevada's solar farm powers only 25% of the camp. Nonetheless, this is already a great feat considering that the camp would save as much as $83,000.00 for a fully-commissioned solar farm.

The flexible solar panels in tactical missions
The Solar energy and military relationship is not limited to powering up bases; it is eyed as the power source that the troops can use during tactical missions.

In today's world wherein the best army or naval troops are those who have the latest gadgets in tow, the biggest problem that should be solved is how the troops (who are in mission) could power their telecommunication and tactical gadgets without carrying bagfuls of batteries.

Today, with the advent of flexible solar panels, the US Military uses tents with flexible solar panels that power all the sophisticated equipment under the solar tent. Their troops, on the other hand carry a universal solar recharger connected to flexible solar cells to power up some of their carried equipment.
The largest military solar power center in Nevada

Solar Cars Race Across Australia

A pack of oddly shaped cars powered only by the suns rays are currently racing through the Australian outback, vying to be the first to complete the 1,860-mile course. The World Solar Challenge, now in its tenth year, is a grueling, three-day slog in which the cars race for nine hours each day, with the teams camping by the roadside each night.

This year's race attracted 38 teams from 17 countries including Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Iran, Taiwan, and Japan. Click through the gallery for photos of some leading competitors.
Solar Cars Race Across Australia

The Indian Challenger?
Indian Armed Forces need to take on the challenge of racing with solar powered cars. The EME and Corps of Signals are capable of fabricating one in their workshops for the next International event.

Can our National Highways double as power grids?

There are about 70,548 kilometers National Highways alone, and thousands more in state highways, suburban thoroughfares and rural roads (approx 33 lakh Kms). Could all that asphalt be replaced by solar panels and emedded with conductors to feed solar and wind power generated enroute- and that would also double as the nation's power grid?

A pure creative outside the box, yet pragmatic thinking involved in this idea. The obvious solutions that this idea could offer to the world are obvious. Can India beat China in Green Power Technology?

This is the kind of thing worth risking a fair amount of money on. If it can't be made to work cost-effectively, it really is an idea that society can comfortably say "Ah well, it was worth the try."
National Highways Authority of India

Climate Change Your Biggest Enemy: Dr. Pachauri Warns Indian Army

Source: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Saturday, June 27, 2009 07:50 PM IST (02:20 PM GMT)
New Delhi, Delhi, India, Saturday, June 27, 2009 -- (Business Wire India)
Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Padma Vibhushan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), gave this warning while delivering the keynote address at the convocation ceremony at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, Mhow. As the Chief Guest, he presented the Chief of Army Staff Trophy and other awards to the winners.
In his Valedictory Address, Dr. Pachauri complimented the officers for their performance on the course. He praised the Corps of Signals for their good work in the field of modern communications and computer networks and their remarkable use of advanced systems of Optical Fiber, Satellite Communications, and other networks to conduct its operations, including Low Intensity Conflict Operations and UN missions. Corps of Signals has done exemplary work during various natural calamities across the length and breadth of the country. He stressed on the global issue of climate change. “Climate change poses new threats to India.” “Melting snows in the north open up passages for terrorists, just as melting glaciers affect water supply in the subcontinent’s northern part, sharpening possibility of conflict with our neighbours. Changing rainfall patterns affect rain fed agriculture, worsening poverty which can be exploited by others.”

He added, “Our defence forces might find themselves torn between humanitarian relief operations and guarding our borders against climate refugees, as rising sea-levels swamp low-lying areas, forcing millions of ‘climate refugees’ across India’s border.”

The Commandant, Military College of Telecommunication Engineering in his farewell address, exhorted the passing out officers to apply their knowledge in their units and to keep abreast with the latest in the field of technology.
Climate Change Your Biggest Enemy: Dr. Pachauri Warns Indian Army

Chennai City will come to a grinding halt by 2020

Transportation crisis in Chennai by K. P. SUBRAMANIAN- The Hindu
Traffic congestion in Chennai is frustrating. The volume capacity ratio on many roads during peak hours is more than one. Increase in road space accounts only 3 to 4 per cent of the total area, while about 425 vehicles are added every day.

The city’s vehicle population has zoomed to 32 lakhs from a mere 8 lakhs barely 12 years ago. Car and two-wheeler ownership in Chennai per 1000 population is 45 and 181 respectively. In Mumbai, the corresponding values are 24 and 30 respectively. Two-wheelers and cars occupy more than 90 and 60 times the road space than buses for the same travel demand.

The per capita trip rate per day in Chennai is 1.30 while that in Delhi and Mumbai are 1.05 and 1.15. The average trip length in Chennai was 11.25 km while that for Delhi and Mumbai has been 10.2 km and 11.4 km , notwithstanding the fact that the population of Chennai is only around half of that for Delhi and Mumbai.

The share of trips in public transport has diminished from 52 per cent during 1970 to 25 per cent in 2008. In Delhi and Mumbai, the corresponding values are 48 per cent and 52 per cent. The patronage for the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in Chennai is abysmally low. The effect of increased bus strength from 2700 to 3200 during 2008 was nullified by launching 36 new routes to places located outside the Chennai Metropolitan Area, instead of augmenting the existing routes. The Urban Mass Transport Authority (UMTA) exists only on paper in the absence of a statutory footing. Parking demand in the city was 13,000 PCE (Passenger Car Equivalency) against a supply of 5100 PCE. On-street parking has led to a loss in the road capacity that ranged between 15 to 60 per cent. Traffic stream crawls at an average speed of 20 km/h.

Demand management
A car and a two-wheeler consume 5 and 2.6 times more energy than a bus. The carbon monoxide load in the city ranged between 1908 to 4198 mg/m3 against the permissible level of 200mg/m3. The emission load of the pollutant SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) ranged between 264 to 451mg/m3 while the permissible level is 200mg/m3. The average noise pollution level in residential areas across the city is to 70 decibels (db) against the permissible level of 55db. On an average, about 620 persons die on the City roads annually in accidents. The fatality rate is around 35/10,000 vehicles. About 40 per cent of road accidents involve pedestrians and 10 per cent cyclists.

Most transport plans and projects overwhelmingly focus on supply side management, ignoring Demand Management (DM). The demand can be curtailed by raising price, through levying taxes on the use of public roads and parking places. In other words, those who are responsible for traffic congestion should be made to pay extra. In countries like Singapore, owning a car is extremely difficult. Trainers’ fee is hefty and the licence test includes two theory examinations.

Hunt for alternatives
Before you buy a car you need to prove that you can maintain it and show documentary evidence for car parking space. Commuters without the using capacity are levied a fine. Road pricing is a technique that requires a special licence to enter certain designated areas during peak hours.

The levy of high parking fees that totally represents the value of land should be used as a means to make the use of public transport more attractive. Bus priority techniques like ‘priority at signals’ may be introduced. Inter-modal connectivity among the MRTS, suburban trains and the MTC to provide seamless travel across modes is indispensable.

Patronage of the MRTS must be augmented. Any encroachment on footpaths and main carriageways should be strictly dealt with, akin to that on water bodies. A cynical school of above thoughts is that out of box solutions and unconventional thinking are all too much and will never work in the Chennai context. However, the moot point is, “Is there an alternative?” “What is the consequence of not making a beginning now?” Even a journey of thousand kilometres begins with the first step.
Transportation crisis in Chennai by K. P. SUBRAMANIAN

Future Predictions
The city will come to a grinding halt by 2020 going by present statistics. The motor vehicle population has increased by 400% in the last decade and corresponding increase in road space was a mere 3%. By 2020 vehicle population is predicted to be 64 lakhs and increase in road space by mere 2%. The compounding problems of the city are:
1. Poor quality of existing infrastructure which are poorly maintained. Subways for Public occupied night and day by vendors.
2. All footpaths hijacked by vendors, hoardings, touts, goons and roadside makeshift worship idols.
3. Absence of parking space. Road space hijacked for illegal parking by commercial vehicles and taxis limiting flow of traffic. The traffic police do not have tow vehicles to impound defaulters.
4. Total absence of road crossings for public. No safety for children and elderly. Public jump the medians to cross roads, leading to accidents.
5. Poor traffic and erratic lane discipline. Untrained traffic Police unable to manage traffic jams.
6. Incubation period for poor quality and badly planned infrastructure projects is anywhere from 5 to 15 years.
7. Traffic signalling and road signs of poor standards leading to accidents.
8. Poor traffic discipline where there is no enforcement of rules nor punishment of violators.
9. Poor sewage works and open storm drains used for flow of sewage from residential colonies. Digging up newly surfaced roads by agencies like electricity, communication, water works, sewage, and councillors who illegally permit cutting of newly laid roads.
10. Dumping of construction material on all roads thereby reducing road space and smooth flow of traffic and causing congestion.
11. Last but not the least "Criminalisation of Citizens" by the state, leading to and creating chaos where the rule of law is blown to the winds. Once the State has more criminals than citizens then the state is doomed forever. The process will become impossible to reverse. Decriminalisation of Politics and education are the only remedies which can reverse the trend and also coupling it with total "Election and Electoral Reforms".

Cycling essential component of Military Training: Our Academy life filled with bike adventures

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
- Albert Einstein
As a kid, you were never too far away from your bike - you adorned its spokes with beads or hockey cards, and zoomed up and down the street like you were invincible.

Now, as an adult, your wheels are motorized, and you drive the city streets with your shoulders glued to your ears, especially in rush-hour traffic.

But what if you could abandon the rush-hour hell, get some exercise and feel better, every single day? According to Michael Kalmanovitch of the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters, the solution's simple: hop on your bike.
Bicycles in India
Like riding a bike
Edmonton Bicycle Commuters

Cycles in Mhow: Picnic with Nangia
My major contribution to the economy of Mhow Cantt on posting to MCTE was in a spurt in the sale of cycles in the town. I used to cycle in the college campus. Once General Sundarji also decided to cycle to his office it started a fad with most of the staff of the two colleges rushing to the cycle shops acquiring or hiring cycles.
Brig Lakshman Singh VSM (Retd)

“Fall” is different this year

IT is during “Fall” that we have been visiting America and are able to savour the “fall colours” for which this country is famous. Manhattan offers beautiful walks, not only in the Central Park but along Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Lexington Avenue etc.

Central Park is a riot of colour and along various Avenues it is the spectre of well-appointed stores with latest in clothes, jewellery and assortment of items for the rich and the famous. From Gucci to Cartier to Brioni, to Louis Vuitton or you name it, they are all there, though at a huge price, whereas Lexington Avenue offers more modest shopping.

But this year we have been late in coming, and colours in the Central Park have lost their myriad hues and wear a drab wintry look. However, there is “fall” of a different kind. It is the “fall” in the economy.

All those stores for the rich and others for not so rich are shorn of customers and wear a deserted look. Many have put up notices for discounted sales, while some others are simply down and out and ripe for outright closure and great picking.

The newspapers make gloomy reading with layoffs in thousands by the day: Industry after industry seems to be going under. No one appears to know how all this came about. There is a recall to the Great Depression of 1929 and we learn that Bernanke, Chairman Federal Reserve Bank of America is an authority on the Great Depression and will surely fix the economy.

They say that perhaps “sub-prime lending,” in housing is the villain. But Greenspan, the previous Chairman of Federal Reserve Bank, was an authority on housing finance. So also were a bunch of CEOs, each an expert in his field, drawing fat salaries and millions in bonuses, whose companies have gone bust.

America too has the largest number of Nobel Laureates in economics. But now
we are told the economics is not a precise science. No two economists agree
on any one economic issue. The debate often turns to free capitalism versus
controlled economy.

The motor car industry is on the brink of collapse and is in dire need of resuscitation in the form of bridge loan (whatever it means) of 25 million dollars. Oil prices had shot through the roof and the great American gas guzzlers had lost their attraction and now when the oil prices have come down there is no credit available and there is little money in the wallets.

Law makers are not enthused with this fat demand of 25 million dollars. So uncertainty prevails as it does in most other areas. Auto manufacturers should have been working on fuel-efficient vehicles rather than on gas guzzlers. is the refrain .

Much hope is being pinned on the President elect, Mr Barack Obama, and his team. But the new Presidency is still many weeks away and much more “fall” may occur. Nor does the President elect have a magic wand to restore sanity and economic order in a jiffy.

The way Roosevelt handled the 1929 depression is now the subject of much study. But no two situations are ever exactly alike, so we wait out for the current financial turmoil to run its course.

Even if we are late for the “fall colours” this year, the Fall is there, though of a different type where the colours are missing but it does offer great bargains and is a shopper’s paradise. All you need is a fist full of dollars!

Lt Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)
“Fall” is different this year

Electric Cars the future answer to the spiralling gas prices

Move over, Tata Nano; Tara's electric Tiny is now the world's cheapest car. With its battery power, the Tiny will have a top speed of 70 km per hour (43 mph) and a range of 100 km (62 miles). The operating costs is 60 paise for every km, about one-fifth to one-tenth the cost of using gas. The Tiny is expected in the next three to five months along with three other electric cars tentatively branded: Tara Titu, Tara Micro and Tara Mini.

Tara International is working with China's Aucma, and has already ordered a 14-seat electric bus that will ship this May. Tara may even release an electric two-wheeler. It's not clear if Tara plans to release the Tiny overseas, but what is clear is that the Nano won't be the only car selling for about 1 lakh this year. Nano has shifted from Singur to Gujarat. The roll out schedule delayed obviously.
Tata Nano; Tara's electric Tiny

Nissan's electric car, the Nuvu, on display at the Paris Auto Show: Remy de la Mauviniere/ APIf Barack Obama and John McCain are as serious as they say they are about ending US dependence on foreign oil, they might want to dispatch a trusted aide or two to the Paris Auto Show, a biennial global industry extravaganza that opened last week.
Electric Cars at the Paris Auto Show

An Inconvenient Bag: The Green Giveaway

The green giveaway of the moment -- the reusable shopping bag -- is a case study in how tricky it is to make products environmentally friendly. By ELLEN GAMERMAN
It's manufactured in China, shipped thousands of miles overseas, made with plastic and could take years to decompose. It's also the hot "green" giveaway of the moment: the reusable shopping bag.

The bags usually are printed with environmental slogans as well as corporate logos and pitched as earth-friendly substitutes for the billions of disposable plastic bags that wind up in landfills every year. Home Depot distributed 500,000 free reusable shopping bags last April on Earth Day, and Wal-Mart gave away one million. One line of bags features tags that read, "Saving the World One Bag at a Time."
An Inconvenient Bag
View Slideshow
Links by Brig VA Subramanyam (Retd)

We all need to take up this matter more seriously. Surely, the cost of these bags can be cheaper if manufactured in bulk in India? Any takers?
Col C Sridharan

Google Invests in Energy From Hot Rocks Deep Underground

Google.org, the philanthropic wing of Google, has announced a $10 million investment in a renewable energy technology that’s powered by hot rocks several miles beneath the earth’s surface. The technology, called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), differs from traditional geothermal energy that relies on finding natural pockets of hot water and steam. Instead, EGS fractures the hot rock, circulates water in its system, and uses the steam created from the process to create electricity in a turbine [Cleantechnica].

The system could augment less reliable renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, which don’t generate steady amounts of energy. Google executive Dan Reicher says EGS would be very dependable, and could be revolutionary. “It’s 24-7, it’s potentially developable all over the country, all over the world, and for all that we really do think it could be the ‘killer app’ of the energy world” [New Scientist].
Google Invests in Energy From Hot Rocks Deep Underground

Remembering the Mahatma

In today's world filled with acts of violence and intolerance under the guise of faith and community, Gandhi's principles of restraint and understanding stand out as the only voice of reason. Gandhiji had an unwavering belief in peace over war and a tolerance towards all men. Many of his quirks, like using a pencil down to a small stub to prevent wastage, reusing envelopes, and walking whenever possible are perfectly understandable today when we are all trying to be 'Green'.

He believed that we all have a choice. You can choose to help the needy, choose to be tolerant of others' beliefs and a choice of peace. Live a good, healthy life, free from chains of slavery, prejudice and hate.
Visit webpage for Quiz: Remembering the Mahatma

Fossil Fuels Finite Resources

Finite resource
The fossil fuels are likely to be completely depleted in 50 years at current consumption rates. This cheap energy which we obtain from the sub surface planet earth had taken millions of years to form but mankind is likely to exhaust this vital resource in a span of 150 (1900- 2050) years. The Middle East which has the world's largest reserves is depleting its resources. When these countries oil wells run dry they will revert back to biblical times! The cost of petroleum products have increased twofold in the last four years. India is gripped with acute shortage of electrical power and the situation is likely to worsen. Cleantech/ Greentech are the only logical saviours of the future mankind. One of the primary reasons for inflation and rising cost of products and services is mainly due to increasing cost of fossil fuels. Whatever hikes one gets from Pay Commission it cannot match/ catch up with the galloping costs of energy. The rising cost will materially affect the purchasing power of everyone and more adversely those whose incomes are well below the poverty line.

Cleantech
The concept of "clean" technologies embraces a diverse range of products, services, and processes that are inherently designed to provide superior performance at lower costs, greatly reduce or eliminate environmental impacts and, in doing so, improve the quality of life. Clean technologies span many industries, from alternative forms of energy generation to water purification to materials- efficient production techniques. The term "clean technology" describes technologies developed by biological, computational, and physical scientists and engineers that enable more valuable use of natural resources and greatly reduce ecological impact, although this may be only one of a technology's benefits. The impact of clean technologies in areas of agriculture, energy, manufacturing, transportation and water will have profound effect the world over in the coming years.

ESM Policy
Advocate, prescribe and practise clean/ green technologies. One of the immediate measures that come to our mind is use of energy efficient bulbs in our homes. The additional cost of bulbs alone will pay for itself by savings in electrical power within a year. There are ever so many methods, all that one has to do is to "google" and get a list of things you can do to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Clean Energy Technologies